Coin handling mechanism



March 27, 1956 B. w. FRY 2,739,603

COIN HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l l O a March27, B, w FRY COIN HANDLING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28.1951 COIN HANDLING MECHANISM Benjamin W. Fry, Ladue, 11/10., assignor,by mesne assignments, to Standby Vendors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Application February 28, 1951, Serial No.213,208 3 Claims. (Cl. 133-5) This invention relates to coin handlingmechanisms, and more particularly to automatic change makers for use incoin-controlled change-making vending or merchandising machines,amusement machines and the like.

This application is a division of my copending application entitled CoinMechanism, Serial No. 65,058, filed December 13, 1948, now abandoned.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improvedchange-making apparatus particularly for use in a floor model cigarettevending machine, the apparatus including a gravity feed change containerof large capacity, and being adapted to deliver coins in change at aconvenient level for the customer. In general, the invention comprises agravity feed coin magazine which is adapted for discharge of coins atits lower end. Located above the lower end of the magazine is areceiver. Means is provided for impelling a coin discharged from themagazine into the receiver. Other features will be in part apparent andin part pointed out hereinafter.

Theinvention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of change-making apparatus embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section taken substantially on line 33 ofFig. 2; r

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 4- 4-of Fig.2; and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 1.

The reference characters generally correspond 'to those used in theaforesaid parent application Serial No. 65,058,

and similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

The change maker of this invention is particularly adapted for use in acigarette vending machine such as is disclosed in the above-mentionedparent application Serial No. 65,058, and in my copending applicationentitled Article Dispensing Apparatus, Serial No. 65,057, filed December13, 1948, now Patent No. 2,594,147, issued April 22, 1952. Only thoseparts of the vending machine such as are essential to an understandingof the invention herein claimed are hereinafter described, referencebeing made to said copending applications for a detailed disclosure ofother parts of the vending machine. It will be understood that thechange maker of this invention is useful in vending machines other thanthe machine disclosed in said copending applications, whether forvending cigarette packages or other items.

As hereinafter described, consistent with the disclosure in theaforesaid copending applications, the change maker of this invention isadapted to issue a U. S. 5 cent coin (a nickel) in change in response toinsertion of a U. S. 25 cent coin (a quarter) to purchase an itemselling for 20 cents. It will of course be understood, however, that theprinciples of the invention are applicable to issuing coins other thannickels in change.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown at 41 a vertical side panel ofa vending machine, this panel serving as a support for parts of thechange-making apparatus of this invention. This panel, for example, ispart of a cigarette vending machine which is adapted to vend packages ofcigarettes selling for 20 cents, and which is adapted to receive a totalof 20 cents in U. S. 5 cent and 10 cent coins (nickels and dimes), inwhich case no change is issued, or to receive a quarter, in which case'a nickel is issued in change upon operation of the machine to vend apackage of cigarettes. Mounted on the panel 41 is a housing, generallydesignated 301, for a coin box or drawer 303. This drawer is slidableinto and out of the housing from the front of the apparatus on a shelf305. It is adapted to receive coins inserted by a customer into the coinslot of the vending machine. A nickel, dime or quarter inserted in thecoin slot of the vending machine first travels through a coin selector(not shown herein) which functions in known manner to feed nickels intoa nickel chute 85, dimes into a dime chute 87 and quarters into aquarter chute 89 in a coin 1 chute assembly which is fragmentarilyillustrated at- 83 in Figs. 2 and 4. Coins travelling through the coinchute assembly actuate a coin totalizing mechanism (not shown herein)which controls the vending and change-making operations. The insertionof at least 20 cents conditions the vending mechanism so that thecustomer may effect a a selected package of operation of the machine toobtain cigarettes. If the customer has inserted a quarter, a

nickel is issued in change concomitantly with the dispensing of thepackage of cigarettes. The package of cigarettes and the nickel inchange is delivered to a receiver 29 (Fig. 3) which is at a levelconvenient for access by customers. This receiver, for example, may belocated in the front of the vending machine.

The housing 301 is formed by a vertical side plate 307 spaced from thepanel 41 to provide a space for the drawer. The plate 307 is fastened ofthe shelf at 309, and has an upper horizontal flange 311 panel 41. Theplate 307 serves as a side wall of a gravity-feed nickel change magazine313 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5). The latter is provided by attaching achannel-section member or members 315 to the outside of the plate withthe channel opening toward the plate. The depth of the channel isslightly greater than the thickness of a nickel and the width of thechannel is slightly greater than the diameter ofa nickel so that themagazine may hold a series of nickels edge-to-edge in a vertical plane.As shown, the magazine is preferably tortuous to provide greater storagecapacity for nickels. All sections of the magazine slope downward sothat a nickel may roll by gravity from the upper inlet end 317 of themagazine to its lower outlet end 319.

The inlet 317 of the change magazine is under the outlet 279 of thenickel chute 85 (Figs. 2 and 4). A nickel dropping out of the nickelchute 85 through outlet 279 may fall through a coin passage 320 in thechute assembly 33 directly into the magazine inlet (Fig. 2). If themagazine is full of nickels, however, a nickel dropping out of thenickel chute through outlet 279 will be and quarters dropping out ofthedime and quarter chutes 87 and 89 through their outlets 279 fall througha third Patented Mar. 27, 1956 to the outer edge extending over the coindrawer to the right side ina vertical guide slot 405 in thelower end ofthe maga.-.

zine. The outlet 319 of the nickel magazine opens into the upper end ofthis slot. The plunger is biasedupward by a spring 407. It may be pulleddownward against the bias of this spring and latched in av cockedposition by a relay controlled latch 469. The latter comprises anarmature pivoted, on a bracket 4,11 carried, by an inturned lower flange413' of the plate 307, and having a detent 415. adapted to extendthrough an aperture 4,1 in the plate 307 into an opening 419v in theplunger for latching purposes. The armature is biased. to latchingposition by a spring 42-31. It is adapted to be pivoted. to releasedposition against the bias. of this. spring by an electromagnetic; coil423 carried by the bracket 411. When the plunger is latched in cockedposition, its upper end is substantially level with the bottom of theoutlet 319 of the magazine (Fig. Thus, a nickel may roll from themagazine into the slot 405 and on to the upper end of the plunger.

When the latch is released, the plunger 403 is snapped upward by theplunger spring 437. T his causes the nickel delivered from the magazineon, to the upper end of the plunger to be shot upward. As it shootsupward, it travels through a guide structure providing vertical guidepassage 425 in line with the slot 405. The passage 425 is defined by theplate 307 and a shallow channel 427 fastened to the outside of theplate, andhas a width only slightly greater than the thickness of anickel for guiding a nickel for upward travel in a generally. verticalplane. The channel extends above the upper flange 311 of the plate whereits open side is closed by a bracket 429- supporting-a section 431 of acoin delivery chute 97. Above the chute section 431, the channel has anextension 433.

which is curved over the chute section and downward to provide adirection-reversing guide loop for coins shot up the passage 425.

On the-lower end of theplunger 403' is a finger 435. This is engageableby a horizontal flange 437 on a cocking a r m,439 which extends forwardfrom a rocker plate 59 (Fig. 2) The rocker plate is rotary on a stud 61fixed; to the panel 41. Upon each vending operation it.- is rockedthrough a cycle of oscillation starting and ending; in the position of;rest illustrated in Fig. 2 by mechanism including a link 57. Referenceis-made to the parent application for this mechanism. When the rockerplate rocks counterclockwise from its position of rest, the cocking armis moved downward by the rocker plate, and the flange 437 on the cookingarm engages the finger 435 and drives the plunger downward to the pointwheredetent 415 snaps into the opening 419 in the plunger to latch it incocked position.- The rocker plate then rocks clockwise back to itsposition of rest and the cocking arm moves upward away from the finger.The coil, 423 is energized as disclosed in the parent application towithdraw the detent 4.15 while thecocking arm is. raised to permit theplunger. to. snap upward. A resilient bumper 438 of rubber or the. likeis fixed to the plunger just above the finger 435 to receive the impactagainst the lower flange 413 of plate 307 when the plunger snaps upward.

Pivoted at 440on the plate 307 is a. lever 441 (Figs. 2 and 5). Thisextends forward from the pivot on the inside of the plate 307 and has afinger 443 at its forward end which reaches through an arcuate slot 445in the plate and inthe nickel magazine member 315. This slotextendsdownward clear of the passage in the mags zine so that nickcls' maytravel past the finger 443-when it is at the lower end of the-slot.- Thelever 441 also has an extension 447 rearward from the pivot on the a h schan s .4 outside of the plate 307 engaging under the spring arm 449 ofa switch 451' mounted on the plate. The spring arm is inherently biasedto switch-opening position and biases the extension 447 downward to tendto rock the lever 441 clockwise as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, thus tendingto raise the finger 443 in the slot. Nickels in the magazine 313 holdthe finger down to maintain the switch 451 closed. When. the supply ofnickels is'substantially exhausted, the switch opens. Whenever switch451 is open, vending operation oi the vending machine in response toinsertion of a quarter. is precluded. as; disclosed in the aforesaidparent application, so that the customer may obtain return of theinserted quarter.

As more particularly illustrated in Fig. 5, the'l'ower end of thenickelv change magazine, has. a plunger slot to the right of slot 405 toaccommodate an additional nickel-delivery plunger like plunger 403 toallow for delivery of two nickels in change if desired, If such anadditional plunger is provided, the parts shown in Fig.1 5

blocking the slot are removed.

In operation, the plunger in the cooked position shown in Figs. 3 and 5,wherein its upper end is substantially level with the bottom of theoutlet 319 of the magazine. Thus a nickel will be positioned on theupper end of the plunger. If a nickel is to be issued in change, thecoil 423 is energized as disclosed in the parent application to retractthe detent 415 fromfthe opening 419 in the plunger, whereupon theplunger is snapped upward by the spring 407. This impels the nickeldelivered from the magazine onto the upper en of theplunger verticallyupward through the passage 425;

The direction, of the nickel is reversed by the curved extension 433 andthereby guided into the coin delivery chute 9-7 downwhich it passes tothe receiver 29.

After each vending operatiomthe cocking arm is moved downward, Inv thecourse of this movement, the flange 437 on the cocking arm engages thefinger 435 at the lower endot the plunger 403 to pull the plunger downto the point where detent 415 snaps into. the opening 419. in theplunger to latch. it in, cocked position. The cocking arm is intendedthat all matter contained in-the above descrip tion, orshown; in theaccompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a vending machine having a receiver located; at

a level convenient for access by customers, an automatic. change makerlocated at one side of the machine and comprising a guide providing agenerally vertical guide passage having a width only slightlygreaterthanthe. thickness: of a coin for guiding a coinfor upward travel inagenerally vertical plane, its'lower end belowsaid receiver and itsupperend above said receiver, a plunger slidable up and downin-thelower; end. of the guide passage, a spring connectedto,the-,plunger for biasing it upward, means for latching the plunger inav downwardly retracted position with thespring. biased, a, gravity-feedcoin magazine adapted to;hold a series of coins edge-wedge: in :saidplane and; opening at its: lowerend; into said guidepassage abovethe.upper. endoi the;

plunger: when the latter is retracted, whereby a coin; may

rollon edge from the magazine into thepassage when; the plunger isretracted and position itself on the uppeiiaend of the plunger,andwhereby upon release :of: the. latching means the' plunger snapsupward under the biasofii'the 403 will normally be latched" said guidebeing located with:

spring and impels the coin upward as a projectile through the guidepassage, the guide having at its upper end a curved portion for guidingthe impelled coin back downward into the receiver.

2. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 1, said plane beinggenerally parallel to the sides of the machine and the curved portion ofthe guide being arranged to defiect the upwardly impelled coin laterallyout of said plane in the direction away from said one side of themachine and downward into the receiver,

3. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 1, said plane beinggenerally parallel to the sides of the machine, and said change makerfurther comprising a chute leading downward away from the upper end ofthe guide on that side of the guide toward the receiver for delivering acoin to the receiver, the curved portion of the guide consisting of anextension of the other side of the guide curved over the upper end ofthe guide for deflecting the upwardly impelled coin laterally out of thesaid plane, over the upper end of the guide, and downward into thechute.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Davis Nov. 21, 1893 Mattson Dec. 19, 1893 ArcherApr. 2, 1895 Zenz Aug. 3, 1910 Robin Mar. 15, 1932 Collison Apr. 2, 1935Kade May 11, 1937 Fry June 5, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1897Great Britain of 1900 Great Britain of 1900 Great Britain of 1914

